Caribbean Cruises Fall-Winter 12-13

[lka1012]

Are now up and/or listed on the HAl website.

[Sage]

Kathy, thank you so much. I had been looking yesterday, and they weren't up. Thanks to you, I have put in a request to my TA to book my cruise for next December.

[piscesgal223]

Yup. I've been looking at going on a cruise in December 2012(as well as going on a cruise to Alaska with my family next summer),so was happy so see the cruises I'm interested in listed at last!

[cruz chic]

Thanks for the heads up. I thought 4* mariners were supposed to be notified. Maybe I'm dreaming.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you Kathy!!

[cruz chic]

I wished HAL had some 14 day Caribbean cruises other then b2b cruises. They haven't got anything there to sway me from my Nov.2012 on Celebrity. Can't say that I'm surprised.

[Himself]

In 2012 during the winter The Nieuw Amsterdam are doing some Eastern-Western or Western-Eastern which can be done as a single cruise even though they do stop in Ft. Lauderdale for a day.

[cruz chic]

In 2012 during the winter The Nieuw Amsterdam are doing some Eastern-Western or Western-Eastern which can be done as a single cruise even though they do stop in Ft. Lauderdale for a day.

Yes, I did see that but for a Canadian it's painful to go thru immigration 2 times in 14 days. I'd rather just do it once. HAL's prices aren't doing anything to convince me either.

[sail7seas]

A cruise that is 14 days for everyone is different than a cruise which is made up of two 7 day b-to-b even if called one cruise under the name Collectors. It is still two 7 day cruises.

 

With a 14 day cruise, there is Code Orange for the first two days. For a 'Collectors', there is Code Orange four days out of 14.

 

We have done tons of b-to-b's so it works okay for us but I do recognize the differences.

 

Same menus, same shows.......

We wish there were more ten and fourteen day cruises. Ten days with a few pre cruise days in FLL and one or two post cruise is my 'perfect'.

 

[sapper1]

I wished HAL had some 14 day Caribbean cruises other then b2b cruises. They haven't got anything there to sway me from my Nov.2012 on Celebrity. Can't say that I'm surprised.

They usually do combine their alternate 7 day itinerary cruises into 14 day collector cruises. I am looking at Nov 11 and Nov 18 on the Nieuw Amsterdam. I emailed my TA to have her find out if they are combinable and just not listed yet on the website. I should hear tomorrow. That would be fun if you could go too.

I know when we booked the Med cruise we had to do it as a b2b and then a week or so later they let us combine the two. I just don't want to part with 2 FCC's when 1 will do.

I haven't mentioned it to anyone who might be concerned yet ;) but I also asked for a price on the 30 day Hawaii, Tahiti in April 2013 on the Westerdam.

[sapper1]

A cruise that is 14 days for everyone is different than a cruise which is made up of two 7 day b-to-b even if called one cruise under the name Collectors. It is still two 7 day cruises.

 

With a 14 day cruise, there is Code Orange for the first two days. For a 'Collectors', there is Code Orange four days out of 14.

 

We have done tons of b-to-b's so it works okay for us but I do recognize the differences.

 

Same menus, same showsths.......

We wish there were more ten and fourteen day cruises. Ten days with a few pre cruise days in FLL and one or two post cruise is my 'perfect'.

 

Other than not having to part with two deposits, another reason I like a collector's cruise as opposed to a b2b is that our agent is able to get the collector's cruise for us at a slightly lower price.

I agree that for the reasons you mentioned, a regular 14 day cruise for everyone is a better arrangement but we want to do the Nieuw Amsterdam again and will take what we can get.

[cruz chic]

They usually do combine their alternate 7 day itinerary cruises into 14 day collector cruises. I am looking at Nov 11 and Nov 18 on the Nieuw Amsterdam. I emailed my TA to have her find out if they are combinable and just not listed yet on the website. I should hear tomorrow. That would be fun if you could go too.

I know when we booked the Med cruise we had to do it as a b2b and then a week or so later they let us combine the two. I just don't want to part with 2 FCC's when 1 will do.

I haven't mentioned it to anyone who might be concerned yet ;) but I also asked for a price on the 30 day Hawaii, Tahiti in April 2013 on the Westerdam.

I'd love to cruise with you guys again but it's not going to happen in 2012 from the looks of things. I've got a 14 day cruise on Celebrity with a balcony for a good price. I'm not going to be giving that up from what I see even though I did like the ports on the cruise you are suggesting. The 30 day will be excellent if it wasn't for all those sea days.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I just glanced at the fall 2012 and 2013 Caribbean cruises -- nothing there interests us - we have done those schedules too often.

I was also checking the fall repositioning cruises -- only good ones are out of Vancouver -- and there is no way we could get to Vancouver without multiple plane connections.

It really does appear that HAL is moving out of the North American market.

[airlink diva]

Thanks Kathy!!! I was waiting to see what HAL was offering in early 2013.

I love the Maasdam 14 day sailing in 2013, however the pricing my TA is quoting is beyond reach for me, even with the cheapest inside cabin.

I got a good price on Princess 11 day sailing and will stick with that. If the sailings I like have a sale and get within reason, I will look at sailing on HAL. But for right now, the solo pricing on the sailings I want are too high :(:(!

[sail7seas]

Other than not having to part with two deposits, another reason I like a collector's cruise as opposed to a b2b is that our agent is able to get the collector's cruise for us at a slightly lower price.

I agree that for the reasons you mentioned, a regular 14 day cruise for everyone is a better arrangement but we want to do the Nieuw Amsterdam again and will take what we can get.

 

Our next cruise is "Collector" on Nieuw Amsterdam so obviously it is agreeable for us but I would rather a 14 day single cruise. When we first booked the Nieuw Amsterdam, it was as b-to-b but it converted to Collector's not long after we booked and they refunded two of the FCD's we had used. When they convert, they only require a single deposit for each guest.

[sapper1]

Our next cruise is "Collector" on Nieuw Amsterdam so obviously it is agreeable for us but I would rather a 14 day single cruise. When we first booked the Nieuw Amsterdam, it was as b-to-b but it converted to Collector's not long after we booked and they refunded two of the FCD's we had used. When they convert, they only require a single deposit for each guest.

That is interesting---I would be agreeable to that arrangement because I don't think it will be long before they combine.

[cruz chic]

Thanks Kathy!!! I was waiting to see what HAL was offering in early 2013.

I love the Maasdam 14 day sailing in 2013, however the pricing my TA is quoting is beyond reach for me, even with the cheapest inside cabin.

I got a good price on Princess 11 day sailing and will stick with that. If the sailings I like have a sale and get within reason, I will look at sailing on HAL. But for right now, the solo pricing on the sailings I want are too high :(:(!

You might want to check with Celebrity as well. I've always found Celebrity sky high for the longest time. I've got a balcony on my Nov.2012 cruise for probably the same price I would have paid on HAL as a single for an outside room. HAL sure is pricing itself out of the market for singles. I guess business must really be good.

[CruiserBruce]

OK, I will be the first-

 

When will the summer 2013 schedules be out???? :D:D:D

 

(Tongue firmly in cheek!)

[cruz chic]

OK, I will be the first-

 

When will the summer 2013 schedules be out???? :D:D:D

 

(Tongue firmly in cheek!)

Personally I'm looking for fall of 2020:D. While you might think it's a bit much I like to maximize my holidays since I'm still in the workforce. If I was retired I'm sure it would be a non issue for me.

[GeriatricNurse]

Yes, I did see that but for a Canadian it's painful to go thru immigration 2 times in 14 days. I'd rather just do it once. HAL's prices aren't doing anything to convince me either.

 

 

Well, I'm Canadian too, & I didn't find it "painful" to go thru immigration 2 times in 14 days! We disembarked as a group in Ft. Lauderdale with the whole process between disembarking, walking through immigration & reboarding the ship (Westerdam) taking less than 15 minutes!

[cruz chic]

Well, I'm Canadian too, & I didn't find it "painful" to go thru immigration 2 times in 14 days! We disembarked as a group in Ft. Lauderdale with the whole process between disembarking, walking through immigration & reboarding the ship (Westerdam) taking less than 15 minutes!

You are VERY lucky. Every time I've gone through it has taken me no less then an hour and usually closer to 2. I work hard and my sleep is precious to me so I don't want to have to get up at 5am to do this. If you want to go right ahead. I'd love to see immigration go that fast. I've been on 25 cruises.....and that's never happened.

[DutchByAssociation]

Well, I'm Canadian too, & I didn't find it "painful" to go thru immigration 2 times in 14 days! We disembarked as a group in Ft. Lauderdale with the whole process between disembarking, walking through immigration & reboarding the ship (Westerdam) taking less than 15 minutes!

 

For the CVG's (Collector Voyage Guests) it is exceptionally well organized and on Nieuw Amsterdam they turn the Queen's Lounge into a reception area with pastries, juices, coffees. Once everyone else is off they take the CVG's down there, run them through security with no lines, and you're back on the ship.

[cruz chic]

For the CVG's (Collector Voyage Guests) it is exceptionally well organized and on Nieuw Amsterdam they turn the Queen's Lounge into a reception area with pastries, juices, coffees. Once everyone else is off they take the CVG's down there, run them through security with no lines, and you're back on the ship.

Could you pass that info on to the rest of the ships? The only refreshments I have ever seen is for immigration. I've been known to bring my own coffee and had pax tell me they wished they had done the same thing.